Thread cutter for looms



Aug. 17, 1943. v. H. JENNING$ THREAD CUTTER F R LOOMS Filed July 29, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 17, 1943. v. H. JENNINGS ,32

' THREAD CUTTER FOR LOOMS Filed July 29, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIE- INVENTOR VECTOR H. $1: NmNes army? ATTORNEX Patented Aug. 17, 1943 2.320.863 mar-m) cu'r'raa Foa LOOMS Victor E. Jennings, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 29, 1942, Serial No. 452,738

- Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in thread cutters and clamps for weft replenishing looms and it is the general object of the invention to construct the thread cutter in such a way that it will have a sumcientlylong range of motion to insure cutting by the temple cutter soon after a replenishing operation.

In weft replenishing looms it is customary to sever the thread of the outgoing bobbin by a thread cutter which is moved rearwardly from its normal inactive forward position incident to a transferring operation, and during rearward motion the cutter blade is swung to open position.

by a link hung eccentrically with respect to the center around which the thread cutter swings. As heretofore constructed such thread cutters have had a limited range of movement due to the construction of the link or rod which operates the movable cutter jaw. As a result of this small range of movement the thread is not moved forwardly a sufiicient distance to permit cutting by the temple cutter until several picks have elapsed after transfer and there is danger that if transiers occur on successive arrivals of a shuttle under the magazine the thread clamp will release the thread of the first transfer before it has been cut at the temple.

It is an important object of my present invention' to provide a control for the rod which operates the movable cutter blade in such a manner as to permit the cutter and clamp to move forwardly a sumcient distance to draw th clamped thread into the temple cutter'on a transferring pick of the loom, thus insuring cutting of the thread at the selvage before a second transfer can occur.

It is another object of my present invention to provide a lost motion connection between the movable cutter and clamp operating rod and its support so constructed that the cutting will be efiected on the first part of the forward cutting stroke oi the cutter, after which the lostmotion connection operates to permit a considerable forward motion for the purpose of moving the threadinto thetemple cutter. This same lost motion connection is also effective to release a previously clamped thread early in the rearward motion of the cutter before it moves over the lay. The thread is therefore able to fall in front of the lay without danger of being entangled with the shuttle and being drawn into the warp shed.

It is a further object of my present invention to provide the operating rod for the movable cutter with resilient means which prevents accidental opening of the clamp when the cutter is in inoperative position.

It is a more specific object of my present invention to provide a pivoted cutter carrier having a movable cutter blade thereon connected by a recite a support eccentric with respect to the axis of the carrier and wherein the rod is provided with a pair of spaced grooves to receive a yielding lock effective to operate the cutter at two diiierent points in the stroke of the carrier. The first point occurs early in the backward stroke to release a clamped thread, and the secand point occurs early in the forward stroke to cut the thread of the outgoing bobbin.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth. In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth,

Fig. l is a side elevation of a portion of a weft replenishing mechanism viewed from the center of the loom and having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of Fig. 1 showing the cutting mechanism in two cliilerent positions near the forward limit of its stroke,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the cutter mechanism in two other positions near the rearward limit of its stroke,

Fig. i is a detail vertical section on line tl of Fig. 2

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan showing the relation between my improved thread cutter, the fabric being woven, the temple cutter and the lay,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but with the parts in difierent position corresponding to Fig. 3,

Fig. 'l is a view similar to a part of the lower end of Fig. 3 but with parts removed to illustrate the movable cutter and the stops with which it cooperates,

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on line 8ii of Fig.

- 7, and

transfer by a rod 53. The lay I5 I to effect downward movement of the transferrer arm so that a bobbin B in the magazine can be inserted into the shuttle S. During transfer a thread T extends from the selvage of the fabric F into the shuttle box I6 and is attached to the bobbin in the shuttle. It is this thread, shown in Fig. 5, with which my present invention is concerned.

Secured to the magazine is a. stand having a pivot 2| on which is mounted a bell crank lever 22 one arm of which is connected to an upwardly extending link 23. The depending arm of lever 22 carries a pivot pin 25 on which is mounted a carrier 26 having a stop'2l held against a second stop 28 on the bell crank lever by a compression spring 29. The forward or right end of this spring, as viewed in Fig. 3. engages an upwardly extending horn 30 on the carrier 26, while its rear end extends into a pocket in lever 22 to engage the latter. The purpose of spring 29 is to permit forward yielding of the carrier with respect to the bell crank lever to avoid breakage.

The lower end of the carrier is provided with a rearwardly and horizontally extending foot to which is secured a stationary cutter blade 36 and on which is pivoted the movable blade 31. The latter swings abouta stud 48 secured to the foot 35 and on which is slidably mounted a clamp plate 4| the rear end of which is guided I by apin 42 extending laterally from the foot 35. The blade 3'! moves between the stationary blade 36 and the clamp 4| and the latter may be held tightly against the movable blade by a spring 43 secured to the carrier 26.

The swinging cutter has a forwardly extending finger 45 pivoted as at 46 to a rod head 41 adjustable on the lower end of an operating rod 48. The upper end of the rod is guided by a rocking bearing 50 pivoted to the support 28 as at 5|. The bearing 50 is free to swing on its axis 5| as the angle of the operating rod changes and the rod is free to slide longitudinally through the bearing.

The loom frame 10 is provided with a temple which extends along the right selvage of the fabric to a point spaced a slight distance in advance of the fell 56 of the cloth. The thread T extends from the intersection of the fell and selvage into the shuttle box, but is' ordinarily behind the range of action of the temple cutter 51, since the latter is set several picks in advance of the fell of the cloth. 'The lay operates the temple cutter on each forward beat in the usual manner.

The cutter and clamp unit is positioned as to its extreme front and rear positions by the mechanism shown in Fig. 9. The link 23 isconnected at its upper end to an arm 80 secured to a rock shaft 8| journaled on the magazine M. A second arm 82 fixed to shaft 8| has swivelled thereon a block 83 slidable in the slotted arm 84 pivoted at 85 to the magazine. A spring 86 in slotted arm 84 bears against the block and tends to hold arms 82 and 84 yieldingly in either of two position. A mg 81 on the magazine cooperateswith stop screws 88 and 89 on arm 84 to position the latter, and therefore arm 82, on either side of a line joining centers 8| and 85. These parts constitute a yielding lock L to hold shaft 8| in its normal and transfer positions. By well known mechanism shaft 8| is turned clockwise as seen in Fig. 9 when a replenishing operation is called to move screw 89 away from a screw 88 against lug.8|.

treme forward position as shown in Fig. 1 due to the fact that link 23 is down, but when a replenishing operation of the loom is called rod 23 is raised to swing the carrier around its pivot 2| toward rearward cutting position. Thereafter the carrier is returned to its normal forward inoperative position-by downward motion of the rod 23 by mechanism to be described. During this operation the cutter moves through a much wider angle than has been possible heretofore.

In carrying my present invention into efiect I provide means by which the carrier can be moved forwardly far enough to draw the thread T into the temple cutter 51. To accomplish this result I provide the operating rod 48 with two vertically spaced peripheral grooves 68 and 6| for reception of a ball lock 62 slidably mounted in an extension 63 of the rocking bearing 50. A light compression spring 64 within the extension 63 bears against the ball to force the latter against the rod and into the grooves and the pressure exerted by spring 64 may be varied by adjustment of screw 65 threaded into the end of the extension 63. A collar 61 is adjustably held on the rod 48 by a set screw 68 and supports the lower end of a compression spring 69 surrounding the rod 48 and positioned for engagement with the lower end of the bearing 50. Screw 38 holds a stop plate 39 over and in the path of blade 31 and foot 35 is provided with a second stop 12 for the movable cutter blade 31 which may conveniently take the form of a screw lying above the arm 45 and assisting in holding the stationary blade 36 to the foot 35, as shown in Fig. 7.

As already stated the carrier for the combined cutter and clamp has a much larger motion than similar mechanisms heretofore used. It has been former practice to rely upon engagement of the advancing lay with the foot 35 to move the carrier 26 forwardly sufliciently to permit the resetting mechanism at the top of the magazine to complete forward motion of the carrier. In the present instance, however, the lay would give the carrier insufficient motion for its resettin and for that reason I employ the connections shown in Fig. 9.

I provide the hub 90 of the transferrer arm lever H with a small arm 9| which is pivoted as at 92 to the lower end of a link 93. The upper end of link 93 is slotted at 94 to receive a stud 95 on an arm 96 secured to shaft 8|. Arm 96 is extended beyond stud 95 to have connection at 91 with the upper end of previously described transferrerlatch controlling rod I3. The usual lost motion connection 98 is provided between rod l3 and the latch I2, see Fig. 1.

In operation the parts will normally be in the position shown in full lines in Figs. .1, 2 and 9 with arm 88 down, arm 96 up and stud located a considerable distance above the bottom of slot 94. Rod l3 will also be up so that the transferrer latch |2 can be in its down non-working position as shown in Fig. l, and the cutter and clamp unit will be' in position I, Fig. 5.

when a replenishing operation is called by the weft detector mechanism not shown the magazine will be set for transfer, and shaft 8| will be rocked in a clockwise direction, Fig. 9, to lower arm 95 so that latch l2 will rise to working position and stud 95 will move to the bottom of slot 94. Link 23 is also raised to swing carrier 25 to its rearmost position, see full lines Fig. 3 and position III, Fig. 5. Under these conditions the transferrer arm is still raised so that arm 9| is down with link 93 in its low position.

At the start of rearward movement of carrier 26 the ball 52 will be in groove 6| as shown in Fig. 4 and because of the difference between the centers 2| and 5|, the cutter blade 3'! will move against stop 12 as shown in Fig. 7 and down to open position to release a previously clamped thread. This release will occur when the parts are in the position of II, Fig. 5, and dotted line position of Fig. 2, shortly after rearward movement of the carrier 26 has started. With blade 31 against stop 12 further rearward movement of the carrier 36 will cause rod 48 to slide down through the bearing 50, ball 62' moving out of groove 6|, along that part of the rod between grooves 60 and 6!, and into groove 60 to the position of Fig. 6 which corresponds to the full line position of Fig. 3. It is thus apparent that the clamp releases a thread early in the backward movement of the carrier, and in fact considerably before the carrier .has completed the first half of its rearward movement. The thread thus released falls in front of the lay. When the carrier has moved to its rearmost position the thread T will enter the bight between blades 36 and 31 due to forward movement of the lay.

As the lay continues to advance its bunter II will engage the latch I2 to rock the transferrer arm ll counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1 and cause upward movement of arm 9! and link 93.

Inasmuch as stud 95 is at the bottom of slot 94 at this time, upward movement of rod 93 will immediately start to rock lever 96 which in turn will rock shaft 8! counter clockwise, see Fig. 9, to lower link 23 and start the carrier 26 on its return or forward movement.

the next replenishing operation is called, and the temple cutter 51 will be ableto sever the clamped thread T shortly after the replenishing operation and preferably before the next replenishing operation.

After thread T has entered the bight between the cutters the carrier 26 reaches the position IV, Fig. 5 before advance movement of the lay canslacken the thread T sufficiently to permit it to fall out of the cutters. 'Duringthis cutting operation there may be a slight relative movement of the thread rearwardly with respect to the forwardly moving jaw 31, but the latter will operate to cut thread T before-moving far enough forwardly to get away from the thread.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple mechanism for controlling a thread cutter and clamp unit to permit release of a thread early in the movement of the cutter from normal to working position, after which the yielding lock permits completed movement of the unit toward rearmost position. It will further be seen that the yielding lock operates to effect thread cutting early in the forward motion of the cutter when the released thread can be drawn out of the shuttle by the descending depleted bobbin, after which the lock yields to per- Since the ball 62 is in the groove 60 at this time, the jaw 31 will start to close immediately upon the beginning of forward movement of carrier 26 and when the latter has moved from the full to the dotted line position of Fig. 3, corresponding to position IV, Fig. 5, blade 31 will have cut and clamped thread T and will have moved against stop 39. That part of thread T between blade 39 of the shuttle S will be free to follow the outgoing bobbin and that part of the thread between blade 38 and the selvage will be clamped between parts 31 and 4|. Forward movement of the carrier 25 occurring thereafter will cause the rod 38 to slide upwardly through the bearing 59, unseating the ball from groove 60 and rolling it along rod 48 to groove 6! which it enters when the forward movement of carrier 25 is completed. A light spring 89 between bearing 50 and collar 68 on rod 48 holds the cutter. 31 in closed position and prevents opening of the clamp under loom vibration.

Thus it is seen that the thread T is cut early in the forward movement of the carrier at mit forward movement of the cutter to normal position for locating the clamped thread in the range of operation of the temple cutter. It will further be seen that the movable blade 31 operates between two stops which cooperate with the yielding lock 62 to operate the cutter and clamp unit early in its opening and closing strokes. It will also be seen that the spring 69 serves to hold the blade 31 in closed clamping position when the cutter is in extreme forward position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2. It will further be seen that the rod head 41 permits an adjustment between the cutter blade 31 and the yielding lock.-

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be made thereinby those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein 7 lisclosed, but what I claim is:

1. In thread control mechanism for a loom having a temple cutter adjacent to the cloth fell and selvage to cut a thread extending from the selvage into a shuttle box, a. combined thread cutter and clamp unit, means to move the combined cutter and clamp unit rearwardly on an opening stroke toward said thread and then forwardly on a closing stroke along a path between the temple cutter and the shuttle box, and operating mechanism for :the combined cutter and clamp unit including an operating rod connected to the'unit and a yielding lock for the rod and operative during an opening period which is completed in the first half of the rearward opening stroke to release a previously clamped thread and thereafter cause the combined cutter and clamp unit to close during a closing period which is completed-in the first half of the subsequent forward closing stroke to cut and clamp the thread extending into the shuttle box, said means causing the cutter and clamp unit during thesalvage into a, shuttle. box, a combined thread cutter and clamp unit, means to move the combined cutter and clamp unit rearwardly on an opening stroke toward said thread and then forwardly on a closing stroke along a path between the temple. cutter and the shuttle box, operating mechanism for the cutter and clamp unit including an operating rod for the unit and a yielding lock for the rod to cause the unit to start opening at the beginning of the rearward opening stroke and fully open said cutter and clamp unit to release a previously clamped thread before said cutter and clamp unit has completed half of the opening stroke thereof, said mechanism to the carrier, a thread clamp on the carrier spaced from the fixed cutter, a movable cutter I blade pivoted to the carrier between the fixed thereafter operative upon the ensuing forward l closing stroke to start closing of the cutter and clamp unit at the beginnin of the closing stroke and complete said closing to cut and clamp the thread extending into the shuttle before the cutter and clamp unit completes the first half of the closing stroke thereof, said means causing the cutter and clamp unit to move the thread into the range of action of the temple cutter subsequent to completion of closing of the cutter and clamp.

3. In thread control mechanism for a loom having a temple cutter adjacent to the cloth fell and selvage to cut a thread extending from the selvage into a shuttle box, a combined thread cutter and clamp, means to move the combined cutter and clamp rearwardly on an opening stroke toward said thread and then forwardly on a return closing stroke along a path between the temple cutter and the shuttle box, and operating mechanism for the cutter and clamp including an operating rod therefor and a yielding lockfor the rod and operative during the first part of the first half of the opening stroke to open the cutter and clamp to release a previously clamped thread and operative during the first part of the first half of the return closing stroke to out and clamp the thread into the range of action of the temple cutter during the latter half of the return closing-stroke.

4. In thread control mechanism for a loom having a temple cutter adjacent to the cloth.

fell and selvage to sever a thread extending from the selvage into a shuttle box, a thread cutting and clamping unit, a'carrier for saidunit movable about a fixed pivot, means to move the carrier on an operating and a return stroke along a path between the temple cutter and the shuttle box, an operating mechanism for the combined cutter and clamp including a rod movable about a. pivot eccentric with respect to the axis of the carrier, and a yieldable lock to hold said rod in two different positions relatively to the pivot thereof, said rod during the first part of the rearward stroke of the carrier opening the unit to release a previously clamped thread and thereafter moving from one to the other of said positions thereof, and said rod subsequently acting during the return stroke of the carrier to close the unit during the early part of the return strokeand thereafter shift from said other to said one position relatively to the pivot of the rod, the means acting to move the thread clamped "by the cutter and clamp unit into the range of blade and, the clamp, an operating rod connected to thejpivoted blade and having two longitudinal ly spaced grooves, a support eccentric with respect to the carrier pivot through which the rod slides, yielda-ble lock means on the support to cooperate with either of said grooves to hold the rod in either of two positions relatively to the support, and means including two stops to limit angular movement of the pivoted blade with respect to the carrier, said yieldable lock means when engaging one of the grooves operating to move the pivoted blade to open position to release a previously clamped thread end against one of the stops and the latter thereafter causing the rod to move longitudinally to move the other groove into engagement with said lock means on said opening stroke of the carrier, said yielding lock means and other groove operative when the carrier subsequently moves forwardly to cause the rod to move the pivoted cutter to closed position to cut and clamp said thread end against said other stop, the latter thereafter causing the rod to move reversely relatively to said support to cause said one groove to move toward and engage said lock means again.

6. In thread control mechanism for a loom having a temple cutter adjacent to the cloth fell and selvage to severe a thread extending from the selvage into a shuttle box, the loom being provided with a pivoted carrier having a backward and'then a forward stroke along a path between the selvage and the shuttle box on weft replenishing operations of the loom, a combined thread cutter and clamping unit mounted on the carrier and including a cutter blade pivoted on the carrier and movable between a second cutter blade fixed to the carrier and a thread clamp on the carrier, a pair of stops on the carrier to limit angular movement of the pivoted blade with respect to the carrier, an operating rod for the unit connected to the pivoted blade, and means eccentric with respect to the pivot of the carrier constituting a holding and slipping support for said rod with respect to which the rod can have two holding positions, movement of the carrier on a rearward stroke when the rod is held in one position with respect to the support causing the rod to open the unit to release a previously clamped thread and move the pivoted blade against one of said stops, after which continued rearward movement of the carrier causes the rod to slip with respect to said support to the other position, the carrier on the forward stroke causing the rod to close the unit to cut and clamp said thread and move the pivoted blade against the other stop while the rod has holding relation with respect to the support in said other position, continued forward movement of the carrier causing the rod to slip with respect to said support to said one position, the carrier when completing the forward movement thereof placing the unit in such a position that the thread extending therefrom to the selvage lies in the cutting range of the temple cutter.

7. In thread control mechanism for a loom having a temple cutter adjacent to the cloth fell and selvage to sever a thread extending from the selvage into a shuttle box,the loom bein provided with a pivoted carrier having a backward and then a forward stroke along a path between the selva e and the shuttle box on weft replenishing operations of the loom, a combined thread cutter and clamping unit mounted on the carrier and including a cutter blade pivoted on the carrier and movable between a second cutter blade fixed to the carrier and a thread clamp on the carrier, a pair ofaops on the carrier to limit angular movement of the pivoted blade in two directions with respect to the carrier, an operating rod for the unit connected to the pivoted blade, and a support for said rod eccentric with respect to the pivot of the carrier to have first a holding and then a slipping relation with respect to said rod during both the backward and the forward strokes of said carrier, the holding feature of the connection between the support and the rod causing the latter to operate the unit during the first part of either of said strokes after which the support has sliding relation with respect to the rod for the remainder of the stroke.

8. In thread control mechanism for a weft replenishing loom having a temple cutter adjacent to the cloth fell and selvage to sever a thread extending from the selvage into a shuttle box and operating with a transferrer which moves on a replenishing beat of the loom, a carrier movable about a fixed pivot, a thread cutting and clamping unit on the carrier to be in open position when the unit is in rear position adjacent to the thread, means operated by the transferrer when the latter has a transferring movement to move the carrier forwardly, and means including two cooperating parts one of which is connected to said unit, said parts having both holding and yielding relation with respect to each other, said one part operative during the first part of the forward motion of the carrier by reason of the holding relation between said parts to operate said unit to cut and clamp the thread, and said parts thereafter having yielding relation when respect to each other during the remainder of the forward motion of the carrier, saidv transferrer being operative to move the carrier to a position such that the thread extending from the unit to the selvage will be in the cutting range of action of the temple cutter when said carrier is in forward position.

9. In thread control mechanism for a. loom having a temple cutter adjacent to the cloth fell and selvage to, sever a, thread extend-- ing from the selvage into a shuttle box, a carrier movable about a fixed pivot, means to give the carrier backward and forward strokes. a combined thread cutter and clamping unit mounted on the carrier and including a cutter blade pivoted on the carrier and movable between a. second cutter blade and a thread clamp on the carrier, a pair of stops on the carrier to limit angular movement of the pivoted blade with respect to the carrier, and two cooperating parts to have both holding and yielding relation with respect to each other, one of said parts connected to said unit and operative because of'the holding relation of said parts during the first part of the rearward stroke of the carrier to.open the unit to release a previously clamped thread and move the pivoted blade against one of the stops, after which continued rearward movement of the carrier establishes yielding, relation with respect to said parts, said one part during the first part of the forward stroke of the carrier operative by reason of the holding relation of said parts to close said unit to cut and clamp the thread and move the pivoted blade against the other stop, continued forward movement of the carrier thereafter causing yielding relation with re spect to said parts, the first means moving the unit to such position that the thread extending therefrom to. the selvage lies in the cutting range and then a forward stroke along a path between the selvage and the shuttle box on weft replenishing operations of theloom, a combined thread cutter and clamping unit mounted on the carrier and including a cutter blade pivoted on the carrier and movable between a second cutter blade fixed to the carrier and a thread clamp on the carrier, a. pair of stops on the carrier to limit angular movement of the pivoted blade in two directions with respect to the carrier, and two cooperating parts one of which comprises a rod connected to the pivoted blade and the other of which comprises a yielding lock for the rod, said parts having both holding and yielding relation with respect to each other during each stroke of the carrier, the holding relation occurring during the first part of each stroke and causing said one part to operate the unit and the yielding relation existing during the latter part of the stroke as the carrier continues to move.

VICTOR H. JENNINGS. 

